Masiu supports reconciliation between Bougainville, State

SOUTH Bougainville MP Timothy Masiu, pictured, says he supports national reconciliation between Bougainville and the country but Bougainville must initiate it.
Masiu told the ABG Parliament last week that the national government had other issues to worry about and did not have the time to plan and organise a national reconciliation.
He said reconciliations were important in Bougainville’s peace building efforts and it must now move to the national level.
“I believe we must initiate it at our level because the national government has ropes tying it down,” Masiu told the ABG Parliament.
He thanked the Minister for Peace and Reconciliation Albert Punghau for tabling a report on the progress of peace building and restoration through reconciliations.
Masiu said he and his fellow MPs must take the report to the parliament.
He said reconciliation was one of two conditions that must be achieved before the referendum. The other is weapons disposal.
Punghau said community reconciliations had progressed well and the time was right for a national reconciliation between Bougainville and the security forces.